Thanks for the info, that's something that I don't get frm Chinese Forum. I got the impression that the 001A have similar weapons set with Liaoning. Thus wondering where they can get more space internally to create bigger aircraft deck.They ripped the AShM VLS out of the Liaoning to get more space below deck. I can imagine that with a new build one can align the interior room much more effective because one plans without the VLS right from the start.
I don't doubt that within the next 5-10 years they'll send a CBG to the E. Pacific, Indian Ocean, Red & Med. Seas, perhaps also venturing into the Atlantic from there & returning to China via the S. Atlantic. If/when the Nicaragua Canal is built, (the Panama Canal is not wide enough) their CBGs & other ships/subs will be able to deploy to/from the Atlantic & the Med. with less time in transit. China and Russia combine naval forces in the Baltic Sea"A China which has long been irritated by the appearance of American carrier groups on the East Asia periphery might well enjoy dispatching a task force to cruise the Caribbean and the coasts of Central America,".. Beijing hinted at that kind of role when it sent the Liaoning into the open Pacific for the first time in late December. .. it was a sign the Liaoning's combat capability has been enhanced and its areas of operation expanded, and could soon include the Eastern Pacific, including off the US West Coast. "If the fleet is able to enter areas where the US has core interests, the situation when the US unilaterally imposes pressure on China will change,".. "China's ability to conduct power projection and amphibious operations around the world will become a fundamental fact of politics in the near future," the CNAS analysis says.
http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/the-carrier-thats-supposed-to-revitalize-the-british-naThe British have announced the Royal Navy led by its newest supercarrier, the HMS Queen Elizabeth II, will begin patrolling the South China Sea in 2021.
http://en.yibada.com/articles/18435...ea-two-more-decades.htm#ixzz4nzCgOYnH]China?s
The UK still have military interests within South East Asia because they are part of the FPDA (Five Power Defence Agreement) with Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and NZ. The PRC have always been very aware of that. The PRC may not like that, but thems the breaks. Realistically what can the PRC do if a RN CBG frequents the SCS? If they attack it, that will most likely initiate conflict with the UK and the US, Australia and other nations.http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/the-carrier-thats-supposed-to-revitalize-the-british-na
As the former colonial power, Gr. Britain is very well known to China. If QE goes to SCS, all hell may brake loose! The PLAN may also start going to seas near the Falklands & S. Georgia to show solidarity with Argentina! China's military ambitions extend far beyond Asia, and could threaten Britain's security
The UK population is now ~65,527M, & it's also half a world away.Do you want a military answer to the question? OK... how is a country of 300M people half a world away, going to tell a country of [>]1B people what to do in its back yard? Does the word "Vietnam" [& Korea] mean anything to you? https://www.quora.com/How-can-the-U...m-the-disputed-territories-of-South-China-sea
The bilateral relationship has grown to become one of New Zealand’s most important. As a global and regional influence, the largest goods trading partner of New Zealand and a major source of student migrants and tourists, China is also very important to New Zealand as a multilateral and bilateral partner.
Perhaps it should be renamed "Indo-Chinese" or "South Eurasian" Ocean. In general, I find that many of the seas/gulf names are inconsistent. Mexican, Bengal, Guinea, Alaska & Carpentaria Gulfs are all the size of seas, while the White Sea is actually a gulf. The Sea of Cortez is also called Gulf of California; Bohai Sea is also Bohai Gulf; Japan's Inner Sea, Philippines' Bohol Sea & Turkish Sea of Marmara are actually inlets. The same with Java, Banda & Molucca Seas of Indonesia. The Yellow Sea is Western Sea & The Sea of Japan is Eastern Sea to the Koreans. It should be renamed neutral "The Green Sea" instead- I've seen it, it has a greenish color...Xinhua news agency said on Friday that Chinese warships had carried out live fire drills in the western part of the Indian Ocean, though it did not say where exactly. Chinese warships frequently pass through the Indian Ocean on their way to anti-piracy patrols in the waters off Somalia and Yemen.
India, with which China has a festering border dispute, has expressed concern about Chinese military activity in the Indian Ocean.
What drivel.Australia.....economies will be in the gutter w/o trade with the PRC
Why would it be called the Indo-Chinese ocean? The Indian ocean is located very far away from China. China has no territory in the ocean and rarely operates there and rarely even transits.Perhaps it should be renamed "Indo-Chinese" or "South Eurasian" Ocean.
I very strongly suggest that you lift the calibre / quality of your postings. This is a serious forum and we have expectations with regard to posting quality. When other posters are specifically commenting upon the poor quality of your posts it's time to up your game.Perhaps it should be renamed "Indo-Chinese" or "South Eurasian" Ocean. In general, I find that many of the seas/gulf names are inconsistent. Mexican, Bengal, Guinea, Alaska & Carpentaria Gulfs are all the size of seas, while the White Sea is actually a gulf. The Sea of Cortez is also called Gulf of California; Bohai Sea is also Bohai Gulf; Japan's Inner Sea, Philippines' Bohol Sea & Turkish Sea of Marmara are actually inlets. The same with Java, Banda & Molucca Seas of Indonesia. The Yellow Sea is Western Sea & The Sea of Japan is Eastern Sea to the Koreans. It should be renamed neutral "The Green Sea" instead- I've seen it, it has a greenish color.
Then they'll just be showing their flags in each other's backyards!
The UK population is now ~65,527M, & it's also half a world away.
Australia & NZ know that their economies will be in the gutter w/o trade with the PRC, & the latter wants Malacca Strait to be open- Singapore & Malaysia are secure as long as they do their part to keep it so. Only US, India, & the UK may want to interfere there to contain the PRC. That's why building the Kra Canal across Thailand is a must for China & the rest of the ASEAN.
I'm not Chinese, so can't be a Chinese nationalist. The PLAN has been doing anti-piracy ops & transits in/via IO on the way to the Med. Sea for A few years now, & their subs go to IO too. I was half-joking, but Indochina (another big subcontinent) with friendly Thailand, is also on the IO & the PRC has access to old/new ports in Pakistan, Sri Lanka & Maldives. Some E. African coastal states are also their friends. The USSR was even further away from IO but maintained near constant presence there during most of the Cold War. The USN has only 2 big bases there (in Bahrain & Diego Garcia) & been doing ops in the Gulf & IO since 1949. If the straits are blocked, the PLAN surface ships can go around Australia or via S Pac./Atlantic to get there, &/ send replacement crews if need be. Their OTHRs, AshBMs & AWACS can cover most, if not all, of the N. IO from Tibet & S. China. If India gets closer to the US, I bet Russia will also "step up to the plate". The Indians who btw have many internal problems that may get worse, are checkmated; it's not only their Ocean they are "sitting on".
I've sailed in the middle of The Sea of Japan -"been there, done that"- & stand by my words about it's green tint when looking straight down from the deck.
The reasons you mention have resulted in a change of priority with regards to the railgun but it still has two big advantages, the enormous KE of the projectile due to the much higher velocities and the elimination of explosive munitions aboard a naval ship. For the USN, these are good reasons to continue development, again assuming there are no technological roadblocks. Availability of money is a problem for the USN but apparently not for the PLAN.
HVPs fired from a railgun and powder guns come in a variety of verions. For anti-air warfare, the HVP does not directly impact the target. It's designed to release a cloud of tungsten balls in the path of the incoming missile and shred it.If the railgun projectile can't hit moving targets, then its use must be considered limited surely.
Until this becomes a reality I can't see it serving much purpose.
MB